The Good Egyptian
by Miriku-'-'-Yami no Hikari
Summary: [AU]Yuugi, a Babylonian boy, is beat and robbed by Egyptian theives. Will anyone stop to help him? Based pretty much around the Bible story, 'The Good Samaritan'. Oneshot.


**I got the idea for this story while reading 'The Good Samaritan'. I thought this would be a cool little twist, and wrote it down. It's a bit long, but oh well.**

**Disclaimer Dude:** Miriku does not on YuGiOh or The Good Samaritan.

**The Good Egyptian**

It was the height of Egyptian rule, and the two countries of Egypt and Babylon had signed an uneasy truce. Old hatreds still arose now and then, but the truce held.

One day, a young Babylonian pilgrim of fourteen summers, by the name of Yuugi, was traveling to the Palace of Egypt. He had come to pay his own sort of homage—meaning a hand-made clay and papyrus replica of a pyramid—to the shrine of Ra.

He traveled alone, seeing as how it would take two days to reach the palace on foot—one to reach the border, the second to reach his destination.

It was early morning. Yuugi had crossed the border a few hours ago, stopping at the waypost to replenish his supply of dried fruits and rice cakes. He munched on a rice cake now, enjoying the cool morning wind.

Unfortunately, that enjoyment wouldn't last for long.

Yuugi suddenly found himself sprawled on the ground, the back of his head smarting. He rolled over onto his back—and found himself staring up into two pairs of eyes.

"It's only a runt," sneered the first man, with white hair and amber eyes.

"It's a _Babylonian_ runt," corrected the second, who sported pale blond hair and violet eyes. "I say we kill it."

Yuugi whimpered, shrinking back against the sand. "P-Please, don't hurt me! I-I just want t-to get to the p-palace!"

The first one snickered. "Hear that, Marik? He just wants to get to the palace."

Marik casually put a foot on Yuugi's chest. "Well, we can't let you do that. Can we, Bakura?"

Bakura shook his head, grinning evilly. "Oh, no. We could _never_ do that."

Yuugi stared up at them, fear in his amethyst eyes. _What are they going to do to me?_

That question was answered soon enough, as Marik and Bakura picked up two rather heavy-looking rocks.

Yuugi screamed in pain as the two proceeded to beat him. He tried to fight back, but a wet _snap_ from one of his arms ended that attempt.

"Stop!" he begged, tears streaming down his face.

Bakura cackled. "Hear that, Marik? The runt wants us to stop."

Marik grinned evilly. "All right. We'll stop."

Without warning, he bashed Yuugi on the side of the head. The Babylonian boy slumped to the ground with a groan, unconscious. The two thieves proceeded to rob him of everything he had—all save the clay pyramid, which Bakura was kind enough to smash before dumping it carelessly back into the satchel.

The two thieves ran off, cackling at their victory.

Yuugi lay unconscious at the side of the road for hours.

Eventually, a guardsman trundled by, sword slung carelessly over his back. He noticed Yuugi laying on the side of the road, and paused.

_I ought to help him,_ the guardsman thought. _It's the right thing to do._

But then he remembered the errand his master had sent him on—and, figuring that he had no time to waste, trundled off.

OooO

The sun rose higher. At around noon, an old merchant happened along on his horse. He saw Yuugi on the side of the road.

_What is he doing there?_ the merchant wondered. It was then he noticed the way Yuugi's arm was twisted at a rather odd angle, and that he was covered with bruises and cuts.

_He must have been attacked by thieves!_ The merchant glanced worriedly around. _And I will be too, if I don't hurry out of here!_

Spurring his horse into a gallop, the merchant rode away.

Hours passed. Yuugi remained out cold, brain still trying to dim the pain down to a level bearable by the conscious mind.

OooO

As evening approached, a chariot swept along the road.

Pharaoh Atemu—Yami—enjoyed riding his chariot along the trade routes, empty at this time of year. He would go as fast or slow as he pleased, nimbly balanced in the chariot. Or even on the edge.

Suddenly, the horses reared in.

Yami was thrown back, nearly falling out of the chariot. Grumbling, he straightened—and saw the young boy lying at the edge of the road. Noticing the bruises, cuts, and broken arm, he hurried over.

Turning the boy over onto his back, Yami was shocked to realize that the boy looked almost exactly like him—despite the obviously Babylonian cut of his clothes.

Setting that particular piece of information aside, he examined the unconscious boy's wounds. Judging by the fact that he looked like he had been pounded on repeatedly with heavy rocks, Yami suspected Marik and Bakura.

Gathering the small boy in his arms, Yami stepped back into his chariot. Laying the boy carefully at his feet in a position where he wouldn't bounce around to much, Yami cracked the whip. He spurred his horses into a gallop, hurrying to get to the palace. The boy needed attention, and _fast._

Within minutes, he galloped into the courtyard. Quickly snatching the still-unconscious boy in his arms, he sprang off of the chariot and strode quickly into the palace.

"Isis! _Isis!_"

The High Priestess hurried up to him. "Yes, Pharaoh?"

"This boy needs medical attention. Now."

Isis nodded firmly. She took the boy in her arms and carried him up a flight of stairs to an empty room, Yami right behind her. There, she began to work.

OooO

The first thing Yuugi noticed when he came to was that the ground seemed much softer than before. Next was that his arm didn't feel so twisted, though it still hurt.

He slowly opened his eyes—and was shocked by what he saw.

A woman's anxious face looked down at him. Her eyes were cerulean blue, and full of worry. But the worry disappeared when he opened his eyes.

"Thank Ra," she murmured.

Yuugi tried to sit up, but the woman pushed him back down. "No, no, child. You need to rest. Those thieves roughed you up quite a bit."

Yuugi winced slightly as she went back to bandaging his chest. He noticed his arm was in a cast, and no longer twisted.

"Where am I?" he asked quietly.

The woman smiled. "Inside the palace of Egypt."

Yuugi's face brightened—and then, suddenly, faded into shock.

"_Inside_ it?"

"Yes."

Yuugi gaped. "Whoa," he said faintly.

The woman looked at him, concerned. "If you wish, we can move you. If you are uncomfortable being here. I can see why you would be, seeing as how you are Babylonian."

Yuugi shook his head—an action he regretted, for the back of his head still smarted.

"No…I was in Egypt in the first place to go to the shrine."

His eyes widened. "The shrine! My pyramid!" He glanced up at the woman. "Could you get y satchel for me, please?"

She picked it up, and peered inside. "There is nothing in here."

"N-Nothing?"

"Nothing but shattered clay."

Yuugi felt his hopes drain away. The pyramid had been smashed. His only reason for being in Egypt was gone. He might as well get up and leave for Babylon right now.

It was at that second he noticed the strange necklace the woman wore.

His eyes widened in shock. He had been told stories of the Egyptian High Priests and Priestesses, who carried items of great power. Millennium Items, they were called, and every child knew their names and bearers by heart. In fact, mothers frightened naughty children by threatening to call the High Priests on them.

And this woman wore the Millennium Tauk.

"High Priestess Isis," he whispered faintly.

Isis smiled softly. "Yes. And you are in my care at the moment, until you are healed."

She would have continued, had not the door opened. Yuugi gaped at the sight that met his eyes.

The man was tall and strong, with finely bronzed skin. His slanted crimson eyes held wisdom beyond their years, and pain as well.

But what caught Yuugi off-guard was the winged crown on his brow, and the similarity in appearance to his own.

And what the man—whom Yuugi knew must be the pharaoh—said to Isis absolutely blew him away.

"So, how is my little road-side find?"

Yuugi's eyes widened. Isis nodded. "Yes, child. Pharaoh Atemu was the one that found you."

Trembling, Yuugi bowed his head. He had always wished, since he was around six summers, to be able to set eyes upon the pharaoh at least once in his life. And now, he was afraid to do so. He didn't know if Atemu hated Babylonians, like most of his people did. And Yuugi didn't want to be the one bearing the brunt of the blow if he did.

"Pharaoh," he whispered faintly. "I am at your command."

"All right then." Atemu's voice was steely, and Yuugi braced himself.

"I want you to heal."

Startled, Yuugi looked right up at Atemu. "Hunh?"

Atemu smiled at him. "I said I want you to heal. We can hardly send you back home the way you are. Pharaoh or no pharaoh, your mother would have a fit."

Yuugi looked away, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.

"I…don't have a mother…or a father…"

Atemu was silent for a moment. "Isis. Please leave us."

"As you wish."

Yuugi heard the click of the door swinging shut. He kept his head turned away, and his eyes closed.

He heard Atemu approaching the side of the bed, but didn't anticipate what would happen next.

He felt a strong hand on his shoulder. "I know how it feels," Atemu said quietly. "To have no one around who understands…to be forced to carry burdens you aren't ready for…to have no one to turn to. I know."

Yuugi burst into tears. "I miss them!" he sobbed. "I miss them both, and I wish the sickness hadn't killed them!"

Atemu sat next to him, offering a shoulder to cry on. And Yuugi did so, neither caring that Atemu's fine robes were getting wet.

Finally, the stream of tears subsided. Yuugi lay limp against Atemu's side, trembling.

"You may stay here, if you wish."

Startled, Yuugi looked up at him again. "What?"

"I give you permission to stay in the palace. Unless you want to go back to Babylon, that is."

Yuugi shuddered. "No. I don't like Babylon." Then, in a shocked tone; "You're letting me stay? Here? Inside the palace?"

Atemu nodded, as if it were a normal thing. "Of course, here. I doubt anyone else would be willing to take in a Babylonian child."

Yuugi grinned. "Boy, is that true."

Atemu stood up. "I will leave you to rest now."

He was about to open the door, when Yuugi thought of something.

"What am I to call you?"

Atemu paused. "Not Pharaoh," he said firmly. "I get enough of that with the Priests." He thought for a moment. "Call me Yami. Or, if you choose…"

A slow smile spread across his face. "Brother."

And he was gone.

**Yay? Nay? What do you think? Please review!**


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